Christmas Shopping '09

[jacksmom]

Hi! I just wanted to add that today ds (12) was out of school so I took him to the mall hoping to get some gift ideas! He wants very much a laptop for Christmas, so he really isn't saying anything else he wants (I am assuming he is afraid if he says other things that he won't get his laptop)! Well, dh and I bought the laptop in Sept when Best Buy had a laptop with a get a free printer, mouse and laptop case! But, I want him to have other things to open! We do 1 Santa gift (left out under the tree, which will be the laptop) and the other things are wrapped! And, we did away with family gift exchanges, so nothing from other family members! I really wanted some other things wrapped though under the tree! Well anyway, he found a baketball at Dicks Sporting goods that he wanted for around $30. I was going to go back and buy it! But, I had gone into Target first and I browsed through Sporting goods and I found the exact same basketball (same brand, size, etc)b marked $6.98! But, when I went to check out it rang up at $4.98! So, Check Targets clearance!You never know what you might find! Good luck and happy shopping!

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

Love target clearance. I walk around all the endcaps just to see what is there

Got my husband 2 pair of pants from Kohl's after sale price, extra 15% off and kohls cash-$8.99!

DS used his allowance tonight to buy his dear sis 2 books she asked for.

I am finish shopping for my children just waiting for all the packages to arrive. Check tracking info. UPS, USPS, and FEDEX will all be delivering packages to my house tomorrow.

 

[minnieandfamily]

Hello! I would love to join this thread! I am very excited about Christmas this year. Last year, I was on bedrest (pregnant with our twins) from Nov 1 until I delivered in January...so I was stuck on the couch over Christmas! Looking forward to being able to join in the fun this year with our 3 year old daughter....and our baby boys too!

Anyway, I was hoping for some gift ideas for my 3 1/2 year old daughter. Since she's in preschool this year, she seems to enjoy workbooks and educational/learning games and toys. I noticed a number of posters mentioned the Leap Tag? Would that be fun and easy to use for her age? What about the Leapster? Any other suggestions would be welcomed!! Thank you!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

And congrats on twins!! I always wanted twins!!
Yep...we are Leapster lovers here...I think she is a great age and would really enjoy it!!!Hope you get some great ideas from us!!!

 

[bas71873]

Anyway, I was hoping for some gift ideas for my 3 1/2 year old daughter. Since she's in preschool this year, she seems to enjoy workbooks and educational/learning games and toys. I noticed a number of posters mentioned the Leap Tag? Would that be fun and easy to use for her age? What about the Leapster? Any other suggestions would be welcomed!! Thank you!

HI. I have a 6 year old DD and I was trying to think of what we did at 3 1/2 for Cmas (my DD is not into anything techy at all so we have no video game or leapster systems at all. She does like her webkinz on the computer, but that's it). What about an art desk? I have one from Step 2 that we love and still gets used. Has lots of storage compartments, etc. My DD loves to color, paint, draw. One year she got a vanity and a bunch of dress up stuff. Still loves all of that (in fact I got a bunch of costumes & fancy dresses on sale after Halloween one year and Santa brought those). What about an art easel. The kind with the dry erase on one side and the chalk board on the other? We are upgrading that this year to a more mature one that is tabletop for DD. She wore her other out. Oh, does she have a kitchen? I swear the kitchen for DD is THE best investment ever made. Who knew.

Just some thoughts for you

 

[r4blessings]

well, I got a few things done last night, so I'm happy. Of course, I still have a lot to go, but just trying to do a little at a time!
I had ordered dd the kit bundle from qvc last week, so last night I ordered her the Julie bike and an outfit for her bitty baby from AG with their free shipping code. I ordered ds11 some really cool playmobil sets that I saw on amazon were getting limited....so I placed that order so that I know I'll have them. I still have to find Spike the Dinosaur for my ds4 and then the kidzoom digital camereas for my two younger kids.

I am starting to feel a little overwhelmed, b/c not too many paychecks left before Christmas....it will be here before I know it! Plus I am heading into the city to see the Christmas Spectacular with my two sons (11 and 8) with my sister and future brother in law (they live in nyc) in two weeks AND I'm doing thanksgiving dinner so I really need to start budgeting and figuring out how much money I really need to spend in the coming weeks!

And I love Halloween, and we are heading out to my sister in laws house for special halloween stew and trick or treating up there....which is so much fun. But I'm always so happy when halloween night ends b/c it means the holiday season has officially begun!

 

[bas71873]

Is it really bad that I want to decorate for Christmas TOMORROW after I take down halloween? I'm so excited this year because 1) we moved back to our home state and w/in an hour of family after being gone 11 years; 2) I'm in my new house and can't wait to decorate it because I am hosting Cmas dinner this year; and 3) my brother is coming home from his year long tour of duty in Bahrain on Nov 17 and is getting assigned to the east coast so for the first time in 6 years, I get to spend Cmas with my WHOLE family and get to see my brother for the first time in 2 years (he's been based in CA), get to see my niece & nephew.....I'm just BURSTING!!!!!!

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

Hello! I would love to join this thread! I am very excited about Christmas this year. Last year, I was on bedrest (pregnant with our twins) from Nov 1 until I delivered in January...so I was stuck on the couch over Christmas! Looking forward to being able to join in the fun this year with our 3 year old daughter....and our baby boys too!

Anyway, I was hoping for some gift ideas for my 3 1/2 year old daughter. Since she's in preschool this year, she seems to enjoy workbooks and educational/learning games and toys. I noticed a number of posters mentioned the Leap Tag? Would that be fun and easy to use for her age? What about the Leapster? Any other suggestions would be welcomed!! Thank you!

Does she like The Littlest Pet Shop? These are nice because they can play with them for YEARS!

 

[Perditamarie]

Hello! I would love to join this thread! I am very excited about Christmas this year. Last year, I was on bedrest (pregnant with our twins) from Nov 1 until I delivered in January...so I was stuck on the couch over Christmas! Looking forward to being able to join in the fun this year with our 3 year old daughter....and our baby boys too!

Anyway, I was hoping for some gift ideas for my 3 1/2 year old daughter. Since she's in preschool this year, she seems to enjoy workbooks and educational/learning games and toys. I noticed a number of posters mentioned the Leap Tag? Would that be fun and easy to use for her age? What about the Leapster? Any other suggestions would be welcomed!! Thank you!

My dd was around 3 1/2 when she got her Leapster - it was a perfect age! Not sure about the Tag, tho - my kids couldn't sit still to listen to a story, but if your dd is all about school, she may love it. Some other ideas for the 3 1/2 yo - Little Tikes baby buggy or grocery carriage, kitchen, dollhouse, Little People sets (my dd 6, still plays with the people some times -- she lines them up and teaches them school!).

I have to admit, we have our tree up -- all Halloween on the outside, but Christmas on the inside and more stuff will be going up this weekend. We love to enjoy the decorations and enjoy taking our time and setting everything up. People do think we are crazy, but I am starting to wonder why folks wait so long to put it out!!!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

well, I got a few things done last night, so I'm happy. Of course, I still have a lot to go, but just trying to do a little at a time!
I had ordered dd the kit bundle from qvc last week, so last night I ordered her the Julie bike and an outfit for her bitty baby from AG with their free shipping code. I ordered ds11 some really cool playmobil sets that I saw on amazon were getting limited....so I placed that order so that I know I'll have them. I still have to find Spike the Dinosaur for my ds4 and then the kidzoom digital camereas for my two younger kids.

I am starting to feel a little overwhelmed, b/c not too many paychecks left before Christmas....it will be here before I know it! Plus I am heading into the city to see the Christmas Spectacular with my two sons (11 and 8) with my sister and future brother in law (they live in nyc) in two weeks AND I'm doing thanksgiving dinner so I really need to start budgeting and figuring out how much money I really need to spend in the coming weeks!

And I love Halloween, and we are heading out to my sister in laws house for special halloween stew and trick or treating up there....which is so much fun. But I'm always so happy when halloween night ends b/c it means the holiday season has officially begun!

I know ...the paychecks tend to dominate don't they! LOL!! Sounds like you have lots of fun stuff lined up....my ds13 wants to do NYC soooo bad!

Is it really bad that I want to decorate for Christmas TOMORROW after I take down halloween? I'm so excited this year because 1) we moved back to our home state and w/in an hour of family after being gone 11 years; 2) I'm in my new house and can't wait to decorate it because I am hosting Cmas dinner this year; and 3) my brother is coming home from his year long tour of duty in Bahrain on Nov 17 and is getting assigned to the east coast so for the first time in 6 years, I get to spend Cmas with my WHOLE family and get to see my brother for the first time in 2 years (he's been based in CA), get to see my niece & nephew.....I'm just BURSTING!!!!!!

Nope...not bad at all!! I was thinking the same thing!! But, with my kids being sick, I think I will wait till next weekend...I need some rest! Ha!!

I have to admit, we have our tree up -- all Halloween on the outside, but Christmas on the inside and more stuff will be going up this weekend. We love to enjoy the decorations and enjoy taking our time and setting everything up. People do think we are crazy, but I am starting to wonder why folks wait so long to put it out!!!

I know!! Poor Thanksgiving!!! It's not so bad if it isn't at your house...but I think my parents are coming here..oh well, I do have a Pilgrim family on my table!!! Ha!! I want dh to get the outside lights out and check them...that way I can get some this week if they are messed up.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

My DH is planning to get the lights on the house tomorrow - before the Vikings/Packers game of course!! We're running out of daylight and decent weather (note I did not say "nice weather")! It has been snowing - flurries this morning!! YES, it's Halloween in Minnesota!! Supposed to be dry tonight, but it will be cold.

I've been thinking about getting the decorations out too! I don't have much stuff for Thanksgiving - just some placemats or something.
So tomorrow I'll pack up Halloween and start organizing the Christmas stuff. The tree will be up by Thanksgiving for sure. DH likes to hit the lights the day after (only b/c I want Thanksgiving to have it's day! )

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

My DH is planning to get the lights on the house tomorrow - before the Vikings/Packers game of course!! We're running out of daylight and decent weather (note I did not say "nice weather")! It has been snowing - flurries this morning!! YES, it's Halloween in Minnesota!! Supposed to be dry tonight, but it will be cold.

I've been thinking about getting the decorations out too! I don't have much stuff for Thanksgiving - just some placemats or something.
So tomorrow I'll pack up Halloween and start organizing the Christmas stuff. The tree will be up by Thanksgiving for sure. DH likes to hit the lights the day after (only b/c I want Thanksgiving to have it's day! )

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!

I like them up, but not on right now too!! Dh wants them on! Of course, he is the one climbing up on that steep roof...so I guess he can decide! Every year that we wait close to Tday to hang them up, it rains buckets for days...so I have learned to just get 'em up there when it's pretty. It's gorgeous today!!! Ya'll should see Mike!! He was in the living room when I woke up- fully dressed on his laptop with a COAT & TOBAGGAN!!!!! (Yes, that's the winter hat for you northern friends!) ...He is such a Snowman!!! That's always been my nickname for him...he freezes.....I just busted out laughing !!!! It is a little cool outside, but GEEZ!!!! I don't know how he survived his year in New Jersey...he must have been miserable!!!!

 

[rainydayplay]

I stumbled across an accidental deal that I definitely had to take advantage of yesterday.

My local Walmart has a clearance section where everything (mostly toys) is put that is on clearance. I had a day in October when I was without my daughter, and there were two of the Littlest Pet Shop Adoption Centers in that section. (You know the one...$40 is the average price for it.) I'd been in TRU earlier, and they'd had it for $45. I'd told myself no way was I getting it.

Well, I thought it odd that it was in the clearance section. It has a clearance sticker on it, but it was still regular price. When I got back to the toys section, it was still on the modular at full price.

In the last week, they had moved a bunch of the larger clearance toys to a table just inside the front door. Those two LPS centers were on the table, and marked down to $37. I pointed it out to my mother (who works at WMT) and told her it's not supposed to be on clearance. Sure enough, we get to toys...it's still on the modular and still marked back there at $39.97. (Although she said if it was marked off at the front, it would ring up the reduced price.) I didn't really have the money then to worry about it, but, if the ones up front didn't sale, I knew they'd eventually mark them down further. Always best to bide your time on clearance items if it doesn't look like they will sell soon and it's close to the end of the month.

Yesterday, I went in. The table still had the two LPS centers...and a sign on it that said, "all items on this table 50% off lowest marked price". I managed to get that $40 set at $19 and change because some one along the way made a mistake! (And I made sure I told the associate..you know this isn't supposed to be on clearance, right? And she told me that since it was on that table, the sign applied to it, so it'd be roughly $20! Can you imagine? Telling them you're doing this wrong and they still told me to get it at the $20 price?)

Such a good deal, I think! And all for a mistake!

 

[Tink561]

What exactly can kids do with LPS? It looks like things they just collect. Are the playsets fun?

I'm still at a loss for what to get my daughter who is 3 (she turns 4 on 1/4) for Christmas as well as birthday. I keep going back and forth on dollhouses. Whether I should get one for Barbie size dolls or get something for Polly Pocket size.

What do you all think of these two castles? I love them both for different reasons, I like that furniture comes with one but the other has a music box. I also wonder if a child will really think they're fun. YKWIM?

http://www.babyage.com/teamson_design_corp/75134/teamson_play_castle-_girl.htm

http://www.reallygreattoys.com/ItemDetail.aspx?itemID=45837&src=googlebase

When the boys were little it was so much easier. Just get them cars and racetracks, they were happy! LOL

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

My DD is 13 and still occassionally plays with her LPS! She has a couple of the big pieces, a playground and something else, I can't remember what. She plays pretend with them.

I can't help with the dollhouses, my DD was never really into hers.

 

[r4blessings]

Well, two more big gifts marked off my list this morning as I shopped in my jammies sipping coffee and eating halloween chocolate!

I ordered ds4 the Spike the dinosaur and Spike Jr. set from qvc, it was on four easy pays, so that made for an easy decision!

Then I ordered my two older sons (11 and 8) the Wii Beatles Rock Band limited edition bundle. They are not beatle fans, but I know they will love rock band and I plan on picking up the Lego rock band software when that comes out. My DH says everyone should know the Beatles songs! But I'm excited, b/c we don't have any of the RB or GH sets so this will be a big suprise, and I'm hoping, a lot of fun!

I ordered the Christmas puzzle and Christmas DVD (Gotta catch Santa) and the Christmas tabletopics cards that Mickey our elf will bring on Thanksgiving morning. Mickey comes each Thanksgiving morning and hides in a different place each night, so the kids have a ball hunting for him each morning. He doesn't usually bring gifts other than Thanksgiving morning (although when the kids have done something really special during the season, he might leave some holiday hershey kisses for them). The kids love to get a new holiday dvd each year and they ADORE the tabletopics cards we do at dinner so I think they will flip over the Christmas ones, and I thought it might be fun to work on a 1000 pc holiday puzzle together in the evening during the holiday season.

So, now I'm feeling a little better, more in-charge, as I mark things off my to-do list!

 

[bas71873]

What exactly can kids do with LPS? It looks like things they just collect. Are the playsets fun?

I'm still at a loss for what to get my daughter who is 3 (she turns 4 on 1/4) for Christmas as well as birthday. I keep going back and forth on dollhouses. Whether I should get one for Barbie size dolls or get something for Polly Pocket size.

What do you all think of these two castles? I love them both for different reasons, I like that furniture comes with one but the other has a music box. I also wonder if a child will really think they're fun. YKWIM?

http://www.babyage.com/teamson_design_corp/75134/teamson_play_castle-_girl.htm

http://www.reallygreattoys.com/ItemDetail.aspx?itemID=45837&src=googlebase

When the boys were little it was so much easier. Just get them cars and racetracks, they were happy! LOL

My DD 6 1/2 loves her LPS. We have most of the animals and several of the playsets. She sets them up and plays with them all the time. They actually drive me a little crazy cause they are everywhere, but they keep her entertained for hours.

I can't speak to either of those 2 doll houses in your post, but we have Cindy's castle and DD loves that too. It comes with princes and princesses, but it's polly pocket doll size too. We also have a full size doll house from Step 2 and DD uses that with barbies, polly pockets, animals.....you name it, they play in there. It's about 4 ft. tall and it's pink with a green roof. VERY sturdy (which is why I bought it, it won't fall over if she bumps it).

Good luck!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

DH went to Target this am and got Buy two get one free Wii games - got a Mario Party 8 and Wii Sports Resort and TOY STORY MIDWAY MANIA!! Finally got some gifts purchased!

 

[aharbin88]

Here are some Disney sweatshirts for $2.99. The sizes are pretty limited, though.

http://www.disneystore.com/departme...?LSID=1225267|10676026|u0t1635936f0fp0c0s5812

Thank you for all of your love and support. Its nice to vent and get it all out and know that people understand. We just got a webcam so daddy was able to see his girls dressed up for trick or treat and he loved it (and so did we!).
Thanks for all the suggestions! They are all great.

I have some good news. My husband was able to work it out so he can fly home the day before Thanksgiving and spend Thanksgiving with us and not go back until Saturday. He will get to be here to get the tree up, which is my favorite thing to do at Christmas.... or is it the lights..... or the hot chocolate..... or the Christmas music.....or..... well anyways, I guess I love most everything at Christmas! I can't WAIT to see him. We aren't telling the girls and I am going to go get him and then come in the house and say Santa left you an early present on the porch and have him waiting out there. They are going to be sooo suprised!

I did start shopping too! I got
Maddie who is 6 months - a FP tea set, a Noah's Ark Little People set, FP Mailbox and a FP steering wheel.
I got Grace who is 8 going on 16 -a pair of high top tennis shoes (like I wore in the 80's lol) and a Jonas Brothers purse at Payless with the 50% off coupon, a decorate your own snap bracelet set, a make your own nail polish, make your own body glitter and a Tinkerbell fairy from Toys R Us that was buy 1 get 1 free.
Emma who is 6 got a Tinkerbell doll, the small fairy, Make your own nailpolish and bath bubbles and a pair of black boots.

Plus they have the new Tink movie to share. I am on my way! Plus we are going to Disney the week after Christmas, so that may be counted as a small gift!

Thanks again for all the support. What would I do without the Disboards?

Yay! What great news! I'm so happy for you!

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

What exactly can kids do with LPS? It looks like things they just collect. Are the playsets fun

My DD is 11 and still loves playing with her LPS. THe set of pets from Costco was on her list this year. Actually my DS plays with her. Sometimes Transformers get added to the mix

The playset are nice. But they often sit on the shelf because they create their own "play sets" They do use the Biggest Littlest Pet Shop a lot but they recreate it to be a "Science Lab," a "Transformer Lab," A "Pet Hotel" etc.

DD never was into dolls. (I am not complaining because LPS is a lot cheaper than AG) She liked My Little Pony when whe was younger but has passed on all those except her sets she got at Disney.

THe pets are a big hit with other kids when they come over. I am not sure why but I"ll take kids doing imaginitive play over a video game any day.

That is why I recommend LPS. They seem to have an appeal over several years. (If they get tired of them, they seem to have good resale value on Ebay) LPS seems to rank up there with Thomas the Tank Engine in popularity and resale value. However, we are a long way away from being able to resale our LPS.